Vehicle top



G. BAEHR.

VEHICLE TOR. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, 192( Patented June 13, 1922.

A TTORNEYS WITNESSES GUSTAVE BAEHR, or rams, FRANCE.

VEHICLE TOP.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J ine 13, 1922.

Application filed February 26, 1920. Serial No. 361,397.

automatically movable frames glazed or otherwise, for the construction of automo bile or other carriage bodies.

In certain automobile constructions now in use there is an arrangement for converting an open automobile body into a closed automobile body. The arrangement comprises in general a closure which when in use is fitted between the body proper and the roof and which consists of three panels of glass arranged in suitable frames hingedly connected to each other whereby when not in use the panels may be folded upon each other and housed within the body of the automobile. \Vhen in use the panels rest on the rim of the body proper and extend from this rim to the top, a catch or spring bolt being. carried by the frames and coacting with the body proper to secure the panels in position when the automobile has been converted to the closed body type of vehicle. It has been found however that the catch does not serve to prevent vibration or chattering of the glasspanels and when permitted to so vibrate the glass panels are sometimes subjected to such severe shocks as to cause them to be broken. I

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide means in conjunc tion with a construction of this character which prevents the vibration or chattering of the glass panels thus relieving them of shocks and preventing their breakage as well as enhancing the comfortable and agreeable features of pleasure cars or automobiles.

lln the annexed drawings which are given as an example of a working formof my invention as applied to an automobile carriage which carriage can be transformed into an open or into a closed body as desired.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are respectively a rear view, a side view, and a front view of the arrangement intended to be placed in the frame of the door.

Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively a front view and a vertical section of the arrangement her side of the plate a. If the in its tion.

Fig. 6 shows the arrangement diagrammatically applied to the body.

Fig. 7 is a section on a larger scale on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5. Figures 8 and 9 are diagrammatic views in horizontal section, illustrating the action of the lock lugs and associated mechanism when the panels are being swung to position to convert the automobile to the closed type place on the door and in a closing posiof vehicle; and

, Figure 10 is a view in vertical section, illustrating the action of the invention in conjunction with the spring bolt or catch now in use.

The arrangement has a supporting plate a intended to be fixed to the interior vertical beam of the door against the slit which has to receive the movable glass plate. On the plate a is placed on bearings b a shaft c having at its upper and lower ends catches or looking lugs (Z and c placed in different vertical planes so that the distance of its spaces in horizontal projection is equal to the thickness of the frame 7. (Figs. 3 and 7). To obtain this result this shaft 0 which supports these catches has an inclined posi tion which is clearly shown in' Fig. 1. In mounting, the plate a is so fixed that it is just flush with the rim 9, Fig. 4, of the vertical bar g of the door, while in the thickness of this. beam the shaft 0 is placed.

When not in use the face i of the lower catch 6 is placed against the support plate a, the rounded jaw of this catch extending above the plate as can be seen in Figs. 2 and 8. The upper catch d has a position parallelto the face 2' of the catch 6 and consequently parallel tothe plate a and to the rim of the beamv of the door, and as these catches are separated in vertical projection at a distance equalto the thickness of the glass plate this catch (Z is quite at the incarriage is transformed to a closed carriage by placing a glass plate on each door is, Fig. 6, each of these glass plates is caused to pivot around its hinge m, (Fig. 4) to bring it on the top of the door on which this frame is held by a spring bolt n and locking keeper n. The rim of the frame engages the rounded jaw or operating toe e of the lower catch 6 makes it pivot so far that it brings the in side face 2' of the catch just inside the interior rim. of the lot, th j of this catch e placing itself in an aperture of this slit this aperture not being shown 1n the drawing. The catch 6 1n plvoting causes a partial rotation of the shaft and consequently of,

after the spring bolt n is released. In thi s ,15 movement or pivoting of the window the catch (Z takes again the position of Fig. 2,

inv bringing the lower, catch into the position of Fig. 2 andobeing ready again to receive the action of'the glass frame.

In order to avoid all movement in this arrangement there has been fixed a spiral .spring 0, Figs. 1 and 2, around the shaft 0 restingon the plate a and of bringing the face i of the catch '6 constantly in contact with the plate a. The

form of therparts can of course vary according to the different particular applications for .whichathey are intended- The shaft 0 could have a vertical direction and place 0 one of the catches (Z or c obliquelyl On this shaft 0, could be fixedatwo or more; catches (1 divided over the height of the slitor a .band could be fixed holding partly or whollythe. heightv of the frame 7'. The invention can be applied to vehicles of any kind and generally in. all cases where a .movable surface must. be made well connected to the fixed body.

- The action of the lock lugs and the asso- :ciated mechanism during the conversion 0 the vehicle from an open to a. closed type is .well illustrated in Figures 8, Hand 7 In Figure 8 it will beseen that astlie frame swings to. closedposition it c,..of .theulug candrotates indicated in Figure 9.

engages the toe the,.lock lug as sequently the .lock lug al which is fixed to the shaft. This action,continuesiuntil the 50.,parts assume the position shown in Figure ,7, with thefiat surface 2' of the locking lug engagingpne side of the frame f; and the locking lug cl engaging. the other. side of the frame Inthis position the spring hinge m.

the ends of said'shaft with the obj ect,

rend of. said ...haftv and operating in gacent slot, and an operating lug carried by the oppos1te end swinging I frame I mounted eclosed position,

.chattering or VlbIiLtlOIL of said swing ng .shaft, a lug carried This rotation of the. v vlock lug 0 also rotatesthe shaft 0 and conbolt 1% is received in its keeper n as indicated in Figure 10 and the coil spring 0 by virtue of its tension tends to rotate the shaft 0 so as to urge the locking lug 0 against the frame whereby the frame is moved inwardly until the spring bolt 41/ snugly engages one of the walls -of its keeper a: as indicated in Figure 10. In this manner vibration or chattering and consequent shocks are prevented.

I claim:

1. In adevice of the character described, a plate, bearings carried by said plate and spaced horizontally and vertically, an obliquely extending shaft journaled in said bearings said plate being slotted adjacent a lug-carried by one end of said shafts and operating in the adjacent slot and an operating lug carried by the opposite end of said shaft and having a stop engageable with. said plate to limit the movement of the shaft in one direction and an operating toe extending above the plate and a coil spring associated with the. shaft and urging-it to rotate in one direction.

2. In a device of the character described, aplate. bearings carried by said plate and spaced horizontally and vertically, an ob- .liquely extending shaft journaled in said bearings asaid plate being. slotted adjacent the ends of said shaft, a lug carried by one the adof said shaft and having an operatingtoe. extending above the plate. 8. In combination with a vehicle body, a upon said body, for securing said frame in :2U1Cl means. for preventing a spring. latch frame including an obliquely extending byone end of theshaft and .engageable with the frame in the closed.positionthereof, an operating lug carried by theopposite end of the shaft and having anoperating toe engageable with the frame dur ng its. movement from open to closed, position andhaving a locking portion ,engageable, with the frame in closed POSltIOIhQdUCi a coil spring associated \Vltll the shaft and urging. 1t to rotate 1n one direction.

GUSTAVE BAEHR. 

